How should my sons’ appointed lawyer be dealing with the prosecutor?

Q: How
influential is your lawyer supposed to be in negotiating with the Prosecutor. 19 yr old
son getting charged with a four felony 1 burglaries, which were dropped to two
felony 2 burglary charges. How do we know if our appointed lawyer is really
doing the best? Are they the ones that are supposed to be negotiating with the
prosecutor or do they have no say in it as our son tells us?

A: Any
lawyer, PD, or court appointed attorney, has equal standing in court. Each has
the role of being able to negotiate freely with the DA for plea agreements. You
need to talk to the lawyer. Open communication has to occur. I can’t advise you
because I don’t know all the facts. Maybe the attorney is telling you that the
deal he is getting is the best he can do. If you are not content with the deal
he has struck with the DA, you have some limited, one of which is to fire him
and hire a private counsel. I suggest that you talk to your son’s lawyer.

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